The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-06-03
CLIMBING GOLD POPO."
The Difficulties and destinations
Attending the Ascent.
a Lonely Night Beyond the Snow Line
Retreat and "Return to the
Charge"-The Great Sulphur
Mines.

The first object that meets the trav-
eler's eye as he enters the Mexican
valley and the last that he sees as he
departs is the glittering, snow-capped
cone of Popocatepetl-th smoking
mountaineering abruptly from the
valley in which the capital - situated
to an altitude of eighteen thousand feet
above the sea. At its side towers an
other peak, Ixtaccihuatl, two thousand
feet lower, and yet covered with per-
petual sheet of snow. These two great
mountains form the natural barrier on
the southeast side of the valley. AL
though volcano, Popocatepetl has
been dormant for such great period
that many of the Indians declare that
it has never been active, but has al
ways been in its present condition.
Certainly from the City of Mexico it
seems impossible that such cold, ice
capped mountain could ever have
belched forth fire and streams of lava
which extended for miles in every
direction.
After having watched ''old POpO"
day after day for nearly week. my
desire to reach the summit became so
great that / determined to undertake
the trip.
1t is fifteen miles from the town to
the ranch where the night is usually
passed by those ascending the mount
ain. / had lost so much time in
Amecameca that the afternoon was
half gone before l was ready to COM
mence, but it was far better to start at
that time than to stay over night in the
town. Fifteen miles over a good road
is not bad days tramp, but to COM
mence late in the afternoon, and walk
over a narrow, crooked, dusty path is
quite a different thing. Slowly wind
ing my way through fields and lovely
valleys / found myself at the end of
two hours. mt the verge of the great
pine forest which seems to form an i'm
mense girdle around the volcano. The
air was filed with resinous odors, while
birds were fitting from one tree to an
other. The path became sleeper and
sleeper, so that it was impossible
to walk longer than five or ten
minutes at a time without being
obliged to stop and rest. The sun sunk
lower and lower, showing that night
was fast approaching, and yet there
seemed to be miles and miles of forests
which would have to be traversed be-
fore shelter could be found. During
the afternoon passed a number Of small
wooden crosses placed on either side of
the path to mark the place where I'M
fortunate travellers have been way
laid by brigands, robbed and then
murdered. The crosses occurred so
often, and some of them appeared to be
so new, that did my utmost to get
beyond the place before dark. The
authorities say that most of the
brigands have been killed or driven
away during the past year or two, and
vet the natives declare that merchants
and strangers are robbed and murdered
even at the present time. With such
gloomy reminders on every side, and
evening slowly creeping on, began to
regret that 1 had ever undertaken the
trip. 1t was too late to turn back, and
the only course was TO push on and try
and reach the ranch. Soon the sun
neared the horizon and then slowly
disappeared below it. For a few mo-
lnGnNS Altt NlouNH WGit llitf-tN Wllu Aue
most exquisite colors, which soon faded
and became cold and cherries. After
walking as rapidly as possible for half
an hour was delighted to find myself
at the end of the forest and almost al
the extreme limit Of vegetation. In
front rose the cone of Popocatepetl,
more beautiful than ever in the din
twilight A broad field Of lava lay on
the other hand. but not a sign Of the
ranch. The path became so poor
that with the dim light it became
almost impossible to keep from going
astray. Only one thing remained &c
be done, and that was to camp out anC
wait till morning. The prospects
ahead were any thing but pleasant
TO sleep in the open air at an elevation